by Ann Cory
"I believe you," Lessier growled in a guttural voice. Even in a wolf's body he was still able to communicate. "How could you possibly control yourself in that form? Your mind and body are built to destroy. You did it to protect Minna. I too lost control. Regardless of what you think of me, I wouldn't dream of hurting her."
"Do you know where she is?" Derik asked anxiously.
"I have a feeling Blagden has her locked up in King Villaire's castle. Would you consider working together to free her from his clutches?"
Lessier didn't expect him to agree, not with their history.
"I cannot forget the past," Derik said, "but for Minna, I can try to get along."
"Perfect. Then we are in agreement that getting her away from the warlock is our top priority. Well, that and freeing ourselves."
Chapter Twenty
Minna jumped at the chance of taking a bath. She'd been covered in filth and her hair was tangled with bark and moss. The warm water did little to soothe her worries, but it relaxed her muscles. Without Graff here, she wondered how poorly she'd be treated. He had brought in the bath and positioned it near the window to allow in some natural light.
She had expected Blagden to visit her by now, but she hadn't heard from or seen him. How was she to manipulate him if he wouldn't even see her? Eyes closed, she sank down further until the water sloshed against her chin. Thanks to Lessier, she didn't have the remaining stone. Convinced that with it she would have Derik home by now, she silently cursed him. Her trust in Lessier was obsolete. She hoped Derik knew she'd never once thought anything of the man beyond friendship.
A draft caught her attention and she opened her eyes. Blagden stood a foot away from her, ogling her in the bathtub.
"How dare you?" Quickly she moved to cover herself.
He put a finger to his lips. Minna could see he was proud of himself for catching her in an exposed manner.
"Shh, my pretty. Very soon I shall see all of you whenever I demand it."
"Never." The thought of him touching her made her stomach turn.
"Come, come. I have much to offer you if you'll only forget about that ridiculous excuse for a man you claim to love."
"He is more man than you will ever be."
Blagden laughed. "My dear, I do not wish to be a man, or a human for that matter. I am a warlock. I have the ability to do whatever I want. Once you have me, you'll never want to go back to being with something as undesirable as an ordinary man."
He knelt at the side of the tub, his gaze gracing along the top of the milky water. "Have you seen all that is now yours? Do you not find me gracious in the gifts I have bestowed on you?"
"What gifts?"
"Why, the entire castle, my dear."
"I wouldn't know. I've only been confined to this room."
"A mere formality. You can go anywhere you wish."
She sat up and covered her breasts with her arms. "You will let me?"
"Of course. But first you have to earn the right."
"I should have known. More games."
"When you behave properly, I will allow you free reign of the castle."
"I highly doubt you and I share same the opinion of how I ought to behave."
He dragged a finger in the water but didn't touch her. "My opinion is the correct one."
Minna pushed herself into the other side of the tub as much as she could. "I want you to leave."
"I am afraid I cannot do that just yet. We have some things to work out, you and I."
She stuck her chin out and spoke through clenched teeth. "The only things I want from you are to let Derik go and let me leave with him."
"Precisely the two things I have no interest in doing."
"Then we have nothing to talk about."
He reached over and grabbed her hair, pulling her face toward him.
"My dear. You are not in a position to be bargaining with me. I cannot deny I am greatly aroused by your spirited display, but I am not intimidated by it in the least."
Blagden let go of her hair and ran his fingers along her neck.
"Would you like me to scrub your back?"
"No. I don't want you touching me at all." She could see how much he enjoyed being in control.
His brows furrowed. "Is that any way to talk to your husband?"
"We are not married."
"Another formality.
"I said I want you to leave."
He angrily slapped at the water and stood up, storming around the tiny room.
"You fool of a woman. I don't wish to cause you harm. I could love you and give you anything your heart desired. You could have all the glamorous gowns you want, wear the most dazzling of jewels, be the queen of all the land. All you have to do is say you'll be my bride. Is that so much to ask?"
Minna refused to back down. "Yes. What you ask of me would mean I would have to stop loving Derik. It isn't that simple. We are bound by something far greater than the power you believe you wield. It is a tie than can never be severed, no matter what spells you call out. What you ask of me is beyond my control. And that is how it shall always remain. The only way you can have my heart is if you kill me and tear it out of me."
"Don't tempt me, my lady. For such images as that will only invade my dreams and make me hunger for your blood to be spilled. I will have you one way or another, and I am saddened to find it will have to be by force. I suggest you learn to love it here."
She knew she was playing with fire, but Derik's life was at stake. "No, I will not. I do not wish to be held a prisoner here. You have all you need with your castles and greed. Please, let me go. I am sure there is a woman out there that will be tempted by the things you offer, but I am not one of them."
"I don't care what the others want, I care only for what I want. And I want you."
Minna chuckled haughtily. "I'll never marry you. Why would you want someone who only wishes to see you dead?"
"That is a bit harsh. I enjoy owning other people's property. Call it greed, envy, whatever words makes it seem more appealing to you, I don't really care. I have found that the things worth having usually belong to someone else. It is not a proposal, I assure you of that. Nor is it a question you can give an answer to. You will be my bride. I am also selfish. So remember this, if I can't have you, than no one else will either."
She shook her head and smirked. "I pity you. You wish only to possess and own things, but there is no real emotion behind it. Who would you be without the stolen amulet? Your powers are simply borrowed, stolen from someone else. You aren't man enough to possess any real credentials."
Blagden turned to her with his hand high in the air.
"Hold your tongue. Another outburst and I will have you locked in here without food or water. Tomorrow we shall marry. Unless you would like an ugly welt across your face, do not anger me further."
Minna turned away from him. "I told you, I will never marry you."
The warlock yanked her out of the bathtub and pulled her over to the bed. He turned her around and pushed her down on top of the dresses with her bottom exposed.
"Stop it, let go of me," she cried.
"I think we should start off our marriage the right way. Me, the dominant one in charge, and you, the submissive and dutiful woman."
He chanted a spell and chains appeared around the bedposts. Effortlessly he moved her arms and legs apart, binding her in the heavy contraptions. His hands smoothed over her damp body, sliding up and down her back.
"Soft, wet skin. Feels nice."
She tried to kick him, but her legs were bound tight.
"You like it rough, don't you, my dear? You like to see me as the dominant one? I can be as gentle as a feather, but you continue to provoke until all I want to do is tame you like a wild horse."
His hands stole between her legs and slid along her bottom.
"I am hard for you. So hard it is painful. I could easily enter you and have my way, over and over again. You could scream all you want, but no one would hel
p you. Do you want me to take you now? Slide my cock inside you and pump away. Will that help extinguish some of that fire you have inside you? I will break you, Minna. You will be tame and learn to do as you are told. I can chain you up anytime I want. Don't forget who is in control here. Or it will cost you dearly."
Minna held back tears and stared at the wall, wishing she were somewhere else.
"Please, don't. I beg you. Not like this."
"I take it you have never had someone bind you before? What a pity. I am certain that after enough times you will come to like it. I take all the ladies this way. Such a beautiful figure. Flawless skin. Soon you will beg me to take you and you won't have to ask twice."
She shook her head and silently pleaded with him to leave her alone.
"Look at that. You are more easily tamed than I had originally thought. That fiery side of yours will be a problem, but I think in time, I will better know how to handle you."
The chains fell away and she sat up, covering herself with the bed sheets and dresses.
"I will look forward to bedding you as my wife tomorrow night. For now, I shall let you rest and think about how you need to behave."
Chapter Twenty-One
Minna waited for Blagden to leave before the steady stream of tears let loose. She sat up and rubbed at her wrists. The vile pig. He had no right to touch her without permission. She had felt cleansed from the bath but now her body was covered in filth again—warlock filth. Minna feared she would have to play along in order to keep Blagden from going through with his plan. A thought she didn't care for. It felt like a betrayal to Derik. She didn't see another way out. If she pretended to have thought things through and realized that she no longer loved Derik, she might have a chance at convincing Blagden she would behave. Seduction was a weapon she never used before, but it would come in handy this time.
His greed would blind him from what she had in store, she was sure of it. The man was all about possession, owning things, and what those things looked like for him. He wanted her so badly he'd probably ignore any nagging voice of reason in his head and think he was getting his way because of all his threats. He would think he had won. Against her better judgment, she'd let him. It didn't matter at this point; there wouldn't be a victor if she didn't get herself out of the castle. The lives of many depended on the demise of the warlock.
It was the amulet she needed. Whatever sorcery and spells it was made of, anyone who touched it would be at its mercy. In the wrong hands, it meant destruction. Even she knew the amulet would be too much for her. It had been important enough for Blagden to trick the woman he loved in order to have it. Minna wanted to see the look on his face when he was stripped of it once and for all. She hoped it was enough to free Derik of the beastly thoughts he harbored and return him to normal.
Then there was Lessier to consider. He'd made himself out to be a friend, and then lied to her, every night. The pain was still strong.
She never expected herself to be in such an odd situation. She held the key to the freedom of many, the ending of a war, and the continuation of a love that would span beyond several lifetimes. The thought of holding so much power in her grasp was frightening and she didn't wish it on her closest friend. While some considered power to be the ultimate high, it opened the door to thoughts that were not in her nature. To get the amulet, she needed to get closer to Blagden. She would do whatever it took to get it.
* * *
Blagden strode back and forth along the length of the room. He knew better than to put trust in a woman, but Minna was the woman he wanted. To possess her, ravage her, and ultimately use her in any way possible. He knew she'd resist becoming his bride, but it would happen one way or another. By force or by willingness. With a woman by his side, he would have it all. Once he was gone, he would need proper heirs to take over and retain the power. He couldn't have weak stock. There was enough stubbornness and cleverness from Minna, mixed in with the black poison from his own blood to spawn demons if he wished.
She was the kind of woman who was too smart for her own good, and that of course meant trouble. He would have to break her of old habits and make her appreciate being told what to do, what to think, and how to act. He couldn't have a hellion on his hands. She had many similarities to Syrina. She had been a handful herself. Two powerful women in his life, and he wanted them both.
Minna was a good distraction, but he was forgetting what he needed to do. The next step was securing Mority and killing Syrina's father. After that it was Notinger and then he would travel farther east.
He didn't know what to do about the beast. If he used Minna to get to the kings, he wouldn't need the creature around. Sex was a stronger weapon than claws and razor-sharp teeth. He would have her seduce the men to get what he wanted. Still, the beast had uses. People did the oddest things when their loved one's lives were in jeopardy. It had served him well to threaten Minna in provoking Derik to fulfill his dirty deeds. Blagden had a feeling it worked just as well the other way around. He would need to stay on his toes around her. She was manipulative, in an alluring, yet diabolical way. He wouldn't let a woman get the better of him. Ever.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the servants of the castle, a thin, blonde woman with a frightened look on her face.
"Come here, you scandalous thing."
She came to him slowly, her eyes darting in every direction. "Are you a relative of King Villaire's?"
"Why, yes, indeed I am. Where were you off to in such a hurry?"
Her voice was small and timid. "I have many things to attend to here in the castle."
"Well, I have found something new for you to attend to. Follow me into my chambers if you will."
Blagden took her by the hand and led her into a large room. The bed itself was enormous and could easily fit three other ladies comfortably.
"Sir? This is the king's room."
"Is it? What luck."
She tried to back away but he held her firmly
"I'm afraid I don't understand."
Blagden closed the door behind them and lifted his shirt.
"I was told you would attend to my every need while I am…visiting. You are paid to tend to the guests here, are you not?"
"Yes, sir, I am."
"Very good. Then I'd like you to take down my pants and place my cock in your mouth."
Her startled look aroused him further. "Sir?"
He put his hand on the amulet and rubbed his fingers against the jewel.
The woman knelt and pulled his pants down until they wrapped around his ankles. Her soft hands worked him into a frenzy. He closed his eyes and imagined it was Minna.
"Ah yes, that's it. Don't stop until I say. You are under my control now."
Chapter Twenty-Two
A knock at the door interrupted Minna's thoughts. She gathered her old dress from the floor and dressed quickly.
"Come in."
The door opened and she smiled as Graff walked in.
"My lady, I have brought you something to drink."
He set the tray down and opened her window. Fresh air poured in and rejuvenated her.
Minna gave him her best smile.
Graff crossed his arms and shook his head. "Are you still going to wear that dirty old thing? You can have your pick of any gown you would like. Queens would kill for such extravagance. Don't any of them please you?"
"No. I don't want his gifts. My dress is fine."
"Fancy gowns and riches don't impress you, do they?"
Suddenly, a tear started in the corner of her eyes. All she wanted was Derik. "No, not really. I like things simple. In fact, I wish for things to go back to being simple. At least then I knew what I wanted."
Graff stopped fidgeting about and sat down in a chair.
"Did something happen? You look like you've been crying. Why are there marks on your wrists?"
"Blagdon came to see me and decided to put me in my place. Or try to."
"I take it he wasn't a g
entleman about it."
"Not at all. He interrupted my bath."
He looked over her wrists with concern in his eyes. "Are you all right?"
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. He really is stuck in his own delusions."
"He drinks, eats, and breathes greed. His need to possess everything makes him completely irrational. My dear, it breaks my heart to see you unhappy. I can't just stand around and do nothing. It would be against everything I believe in. Blagden is out of control. Your being here has opened my eyes to what I have become. This isn't me, just as this isn't you."
She grabbed a brush and ran it through her hair. "It's easy to be deceived. Especially by those who promise the very things you believe you want. Trust me on that one."
"Still, I want to help you."
Minna put the brush down and gave him a hard stare. "No, I cannot risk putting you in danger as well. I have seen what he can do and it isn't pleasant. He enjoys making men suffer. In fact, I would say he lives for it. I appreciate your kindness."
Graff tidied her bed and fluffed her pillows. "And my kindness is going to help you get to Derik. Hear me out. After I leave, I am going to keep your door unlocked. Blagden will be occupied with other things and he has already paid you a visit. Now is the time to sneak out. He intends to marry you tomorrow, so tomorrow will be too late."
"It would be too dangerous," she argued. Enough people were in danger; she couldn't risk Graff's life too.
"It is the only time you will have to get away."
Minna thought about it. She liked the idea better than trying to seduce him. Still, Blagden would have to be taken care of. The question was when.
"You don't think he'll come check on me tonight?"
"No."
She chewed her lip. "You are putting yourself in grave danger if you are caught helping me."
"I can handle myself. I plan to leave here soon, very soon. I would love to see how Lillian is doing. I am sure she won't want anything to do with me, but it would mean so much to see her. I would like to tell her what really happened. I see the way you feel about Derik and it reminds me of the times I was most happy in my life. They were when I was with her."
